Book

The cradle of humanity : how the changing landscape of Africa made us so smart

Maslin, Mark, author, Leakey, Richard E., writer of foreword

Overview

POPULAR SCIENCE. Humans are rather weak when compared with many other animals. We are not particular fast and have no natural weapons. Yet Homo sapiens currently number nearly 7.5 billion and are set to rise to nearly 10 billion by the middle of this century. We have influenced almost every part of the Earth system and as a consequence are changing the global environmental and evolutionary trajectory of the Earth. So how did we become the worlds apex predator and take over the planet? Fundamental to our success is our intelligence, not only individually but more importantly collectively. But why did evolution favour the brainy ape? Given the calorific cost of running our large brains, not to mention the difficulties posed for childbirth, this bizarre adaptation must have given our ancestors a considerable advantage.

• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Subject: Human evolution. / Intellect. / Human evolution Africa, East. / Human beings Effect of climate on Africa, East History. / Human beings Effect of environment on Africa, East History. / Landscape changes Africa, East History. / Climatic changes Africa, East History. / Paleoclimatology Africa, East. / Paleoecology Africa, East.
• ISBN: 9780198704522, 0198704526

Item info:

1 item available

1 item total in all locations

Holdings :

Call Number	Copies	Material	Location
GF701.M37 2017	1	BOOK	AUTOSTORE